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The Blue Jays GM says he would like to find a new manager “sooner rather than later” but he won’t rush the process.

Blue Jays GM Alex Anthopoulos says the team will "definitely" have a new manager by the time baseball's winter meetings get underway in early December. (RENE JOHNSTON / TORONTO STAR) | Order this photo

By Brendan KennedySports Reporter

Tues., Nov. 6, 2012

Blue Jays GM Alex Anthopoulos says not having a manager in place hasn’t hindered his off-season free-agent and trade negotiations, but he would still like to hire a new bench boss “sooner rather than later.”

“I’d like to get it done as soon as I can, but we’re not going to force it or have it rushed.”

The manager vacancy has “come up” in discussions with free agents, Anthopoulos said. “But so far I haven’t seen it be a problem. I haven’t seen it be an issue in terms of potentially signing free agents and things like that. I think it’s only normal in conversation it would come up, but it hasn’t been a stumbling block at all.”

The search for a new manager will slow down this week as Anthopoulos heads to California on Wednesday for the annual GM meetings, which run until Friday. “We’ll pick it right back up when we get back.”

Assuming the Washington Nationals soon work out a deal to keep Davey Johnson in place, the Jays and Colorado Rockies will be the only major-league clubs still without a manager.

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Anthopoulos said he has no timeline on when a new manager will be named, but it will “definitely” be resolved before baseball’s winter meetings, which will be held in Nashville, Tenn., from Dec. 3 to 6.

“I don’t know when, but I definitely feel like we’re starting to get closer,” he said. “We’re getting there, we’re making progress.”

The Jays’ managerial post was vacated 2 ½ weeks ago when John Farrell was relieved of his contract — which would have carried him through next season — as part of a trade with the Boston Red Sox, where Farrell previously worked as pitching coach.

It was later revealed that Farrell had twice asked Anthopoulos for the opportunity to pursue managing in Boston, which Farrell described as a “dream job.”

Speaking with the Star on Tuesday, Anthopoulos declined to name potential candidates for Farrell’s old post or even say how many are on the short list for consideration.

“It’s easier to work quietly when there’s not as much speculation,” he said. “Honestly, there’s a lot of people and candidates that would rather have their names kept out of it unless they get the job, for obvious reasons.”

Redmond managed the Jays’ Class-A affiliate in Dunedin last season and their Class-A affiliate in Lansing in 2010.

Rather than mourn the loss of Redmond, Anthopoulos described it as a “celebration for the minor-league department” of the organization.

“It’s tough to lose good employees, but at the same time if we’re doing things well you expect to and it’s more of an indication of the success of the minor leagues right now from an organizational standpoint.”

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